The Key
by kyskhet
Summary: The sound of her running steps bounced off the walls. Everything was dark, and she could hardly see where she was running anymore. AltairxOC Rated M to be safe!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **_This is my first fan fic, so have mercy on me. You should know that I'm from Sweden so please excuse my bad English and poor grammar. I hope you will enjoy it! Oh and I have rated it mature to be safe. _

**Chapter One**

The sound of her running steps bounced off the walls. Everything was dark, and she could hardly see where she was running anymore. The sound of the guards chasing after her was driving her almost to the edge of panic, but she knew if she stopped or if they, god forbid, caught up with her, it would be the end. She could taste blood in her mouth and her heart was beating like crazy, every beat was like a punch. Her breathing was fast and sharp.

She needed somewhere to hide, just long enough for her to catch her breath, so she could see where she was and figure out how she was going to get to safety. The guards were getting closer and she could hear them yell to each other. A jolt of fear ripped through her and she forced her body to move faster. She took a sharp turn to the left, then right and left again. Her legs were going numb underneath her and she could barely feel them anymore.

Then suddenly there was a movement to the left and she jumped back, reflexively, holding her breath. In the dim light she could see the shape of a person. A man. He was dressed in a white robe and had a hood over his head but she could still feel his burning eyes staring at her. The man was dressed as a scholar but was clearly no such thing.

She felt like prey before this man, so weak and powerless. But she would not go down without a fight. She had made that promise to herself as she escaped from them. She took a deep breath and clenched her fists. The man before her smirked, slowly, like he knew what she was thinking. She could feel the rage boil inside. Who did this man think he was? Just because she was a woman did not make her weak. But no, anger in a fight would only dull her judgment. She needed to calm herself.

Then he moved, only there wasn't any movement. One second he was right before her, the other he slammed her against the wall. She gasped in pain when her back made contact with the wall and she saw little stars dance before her eyes. This man was strong and very fast, and, above all, very dangerous. He had placed a hand over her mouth to prevent her from screaming, and, his arm around her waist, started to drag her into a pitch-black ally.

No, not again. She thought, and started to struggle in his embrace. He only answered by pressing her closer to his body. Damn this man and his power, she hated to feel powerless and weak. She stared to hit him in the side with her elbow, trying to loosen his hold. He snarled, and then she felt a knife against her one side, almost piercing the skin.

"Keep quiet and stop fighting, or do you want the guards to find us?" his voice was low and raw and she felt a flicker of fear. Did this man want to help her? Why would he do that? She stopped her fight and stood still and then she heard it, the sounds of the guards coming closer. She could feel the man behind her tense and he pulled her silently deeper in to the ally.

She had so many questions running through her head that she began to feel dizzy, then lightheaded. Her body was in so much pain after the escape that she wished that she could just faint or something. She just wanted to escape the reality for a while, but then again she was in the arms of a stranger. She needed to be strong, even if she was tired and hurt.

The guards were getting restless in their fruitless search, and she knew that they would give up pretty soon. But not for long. They wouldn't give up until they had found her and put her back in that cage again by force. And she would rather die than going back to them. Hell, she even preferred this man, and she didn't even know want he was going to do with her.

As the guards begun to scatter, the man did not release his hold on her, still firmly squeezing her against him. She could feel his stomach move in and out as he breathed. He was still on high alert, listening and waiting for any kind of sound or movement and she began to feel restless. How long were they going to stand here? She had to get going, get further away from this place and those people. But where should she go? She didn't know anyone in this city or this country. And the way the women were treated here she didn't want to stay for that long.

But where should she go? The best choice was to lie low and fake her death in some sort of way, but that would cost another human life, and she did not want more innocent blood on her hands. Her thoughts were interrupted by his voice.

"I'm going to remove my hand from your mouth, do you promise not to scream? Because if you do I will not hesitate to kill you." his voice were still low and raw and she trembled by the power in it. She nodded, and he removed his hand slowly from her mouth. He still had a strong grip on her waist, and she fought the impulse to fight him off, knowing that it would only probably end up with her smashed up against the wall again.

"Why were the guards chasing you?" when he spoke she could feel his hot breath on her neck and it made the hair on her arms raise. How much could she say without revealing herself? She didn't know how much this man knew from the beginning. Should she lie? Yeah, that was probably a good idea.

"I bumped into one of the guards by accident, and then they began chasing me with their swords in hand." her voice was still weak from the run, but she was tense. Would he buy it? It felt like a good reason to why the guards were chasing her. Then he turned her around and stared into her eyes.

He was beautiful, he had a strong jaw line, a straight nose and honey colored eyes. But as beautiful he may be, he was still a dangerous opponent and she needed to be focused. What he looked for and what he found in her eyes did not show in his face. It felt like he could see into her soul, his eyes were like burning pits of fire and she begun to feel uneasy under his watch.

"You are lying to me." his voice was now low and sweet and that felt even more intense than before. He pressed her up against the wall and took a hold of her throat, moved his lips to her left ear and whispered, "I thought you would be smarter than that, but I will give you one more chance to answer my question. And this time, answer it truthfully."

She felt the knife again against her side. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. This was no joke, he would kill her if she would not tell him the truth. But maybe she was better off dead. If she were dead she would be no longer a threat, and she would be free. But then all those lives that had been taken because of her would go to waste, all those people that had died trying to protect her would have died for nothing. She needed to keep going, for them. But she was so tired, her body and mind were so heavy and full of pain. She could feel his grip on her throat harden as he grew impatient with her and her silence.

"Are you not going to answer me?" his cold voice sliced through the silence and the question hung in the cool night air. She quivered, but she didn't know if it was from the tone of his voice or the chill. Maybe both. She opened her eyes once again, the look in his eyes made her gasp for air.

They were so cold and lifeless. So this is the eyes of a killer. She thought. But she wouldn't back down, not now, not ever. She had a plan now. Even if it was a risky one... it was still worth trying.

She gathered all the power she still had left in her body and slammed her leg right between his with all she was worth. He groaned and his hold of her slackened. He bent over to his knees and she shoved him away, already running as he hit the ground.

What the hell should she do now? She had no idea where she was or which way to go. She had guards chasing after her and now probably that man would come after her life too. Just great. This was just a great day. She loved days like these. She slowed down, and began to scan the area.

This was one nasty city. Here and there lay dead bodies, and it looked like the whole place was a ghost town. The houses were rundown, and it smelled bad too. She had seen many different towns and places but this one was definitely on the list of most disgusting. But, somehow, it still had its own charm, something she couldn't put her finger on.

She looked up in the sky and felt her heart skip a beat. It was almost day! She needed to get a new pair of clothes and some food, and that was so easier to obtain when it was night. She could probably not walk the streets of this city in day time for a while. The guards would be on high alert and it would just be stupid to take the risk of getting captured again. And even if they weren't she stood out with her looks, tall, wheat-blonde hair and sky-blue eyes. She was an easy find. But first she needed a safe place to rest and tend to her wounds.

"THERE SHE IS!"

She snapped her head to the right and felt her heart stop for a second. There was a guard running at full speed against her. SHIT. She thought, and turned around only to see more guards charging towards her. She looked around in panic for a place to run, but she was surrounded. They made a circle around her.

"Has the birdie lost her wings?" "Aren't so tough now are we?" the guards were mocking her and she hissed. Crap, she had no plan whatsoever and she had no power left to run, or fight for that matter.

"Why don't you just surrender now so we can skip the whole scene of us beating you down and dragging you back?" one of the guards said and started to walk forward to her. He had a cocky smile on his lips and she just wanted to smack it off his face. He stopped about two steps from her and waited for her response.

She looked around and counted. It was up to eight guards and it would be more the longer she stayed. She took a deep breath and centred herself in her mind. This was not going to be an easy fight, and there was almost no chance of her succeeding, but she would fight to her last breath. The guard's smile faltered a bit and she smirked to him. Rage rushed through his eyes and he started to draw his sword when she closed the space between them and kicked him between his legs.

He made a sound and tipped forward to his knees. She took hold of his sword as he fell, yanking it out. It was a lot heavier than she expected but she had no time to think - only to act. Now it was just a matter of survival. She sliced the man before her in his throat and he was dead before he hit the ground. Now there was a deadly silence, the other guards in shock. They had not expected her to fight back. But they snapped out of it, took their swords and began to move forward to her.

"Remember boys, don't kill her."

She was wounded in her leg now and it would only be a matter of minutes or seconds before she was down. She had managed to kill two more guards but five to one was more than she could handle. Her blood loss made her dizzy and slower and it became harder to block the attacks. She focused on a movement to the left but an attack never came. She turned around as she heard a thud and she froze.

Shit. He had found her. She was more afraid of this man than all the other guards put together. The man in the white robes had just kill one of the guards.

"Wh-what the hell?" now the other guards had noticed "Take him down!"

"He's an assassin! Kill him!" and they started to attack him.

She was paralyzed. An assassin? Really? Oh boy, she was in trouble. Not only had she a small army after her but now she had kicked an assassin in the crown jewels.

This was just a great day indeed.

**AN: **_Did you like it? O.O Please say if I should continue or not, I have a bad habit to stop write on stories when I lose interest in them. _


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: I going to writhe this once; I do not own anything from the game (but I wished I did), but I own my OC.___

_**Chapter Two**_

_**She was mesmerised by the way the so called assassin fought - it was like he knew what the enemy would do even before they even knew themselves. But she couldn't stay for long to watch; now the guards and the hooded man were busy fighting she should be trying to run. The outcome of the battle between them was not important to her. Either way she was pretty much dead.**_

_**But it was hard, there was a sharp pain in her wounded leg and it made it nearly impossible for her to walk. Every time she put some weight on it more pain ripped through her body, but she was determined to get away. She started to limp away towards the shadow of an alley as fast as she could. She glanced back to see that the assassin had killed three more guards and now there were only two more left.**_

_**But after a few steps she could feel the exhaustion run through her body and her vision was getting blurry. Her body was finally giving in to the blood loss and lack of food, water and sleep. She could feel her legs give in and she stumbled down to her knees. Is this the end? She thought as her body hit the ground.**_

_**She thought of many things as she laid in the dirt, the people she had lost and the places she had seen. Would she meet her family again? Was there a God? The questions and pictures were spinning in her mind to the point where it all went black and quiet. Was she dead now? She thought she heard a voice calling out to her and she could feel the touch of hands. But it didn't really matter anymore, she thought, as she fell into the void of darkness.**_

_**Her first emotion was pain. It felt like her whole body was burning. That was enough proof for her that she was clearly still alive, but what had happened? Her second feeling was fear, she wondered where she was and who had brought her to this place.**_

_**She slowly opened her eyes only to see more darkness, but after a while her eyes adjusted to the dim light in the room. It was a small room and contained only a bed and a small table. She could smell traces of herbs in the air and she could also feel that all her wounds had been taken care of. She felt drowsy and heavy but she needed to know if she was with friend or foe before she could relax.**_

_**She slowly begun to place herself in a sitting position but the pain was too great and she fell back on the mattress. Just that little movement had made her exhausted and she could feel her eyelids begin to grow heavy as she slipped into some kind of in-between-sleep.**_

_**She woke to the sound of steps coming closer and a low conversation. She was immediately on high alert and she could feel adrenalin pumping through her veins. What now, she thought as she begun to listen in on the conversation.**_

_**".. she could be a treat to the Brotherhood. How do you know that she is not a spy or something like that? You took a big risk to bring her here, Altaïr, do not compromise the Brotherhood, remember?"**_

_**"I know that Malik, but it is not like that, and I think there is more to it."**_

_**"What do you mean, brother?"**_

_**"Well for a start the men chasing after her were not regular templar soldiers. Judging by their uniforms and skills, they were from a higher rank and they were eager to capture her again. Why, I don't know. But I intend to find out."**_

_**Then a third voice cut in. "You need to consort with the Master before you take action, Altaïr. Go back to Masyaf and speak with him, in the mean time Malik and I will watch over the girl."**_

_**"Then I will do so Rafiq." The voice was now slightly irritated.**_

_**"Safety and peace to you, brother."**_

_**"And to you as well."**_

_**Then she could hear footsteps walking away, fading into silence. But there were still two people outside her door and she held her breath, waiting.**_

_**"Malik, I need you to go and see what you can learn of this matter."**_

_**"I will see to it Rafiq. Safety and peace be upon you."**_

_**"And to you as well."**_

_**She had recognized one of the voices. It belonged to the hooded man. Had they called him Altaïr? But what of this talk of a Brotherhood? Templars? And this Master? She prayed that they did not find out more about her than they already knew. But her thoughts were disturbed by the opening of the door to her room.**_

_**An old man walked in, with a long white beard and piercing dark brown eyes. There was a silence as they measured each other. Then he broke the silence: "Get some rest now. You are safe here as long you don't try anything, like escaping. I am the Rafiq of this place and tomorrow we will talk. But for now, get some sleep. If you want something I will be right outside."**_

_**He was about to walk out when she asked with a weak voice to him, "Can I have some water then?" He turned around with a surprised look on his face, as he had not expected her to talk at all, especially not ask for anything.**_

_**"Of course you can, child. I will go and fetch it for you. Just wait for a moment."**_

_**He walked out the room silent as a cat and she could hear him turn left, open a door and then the sound faded away. Well he seemed like a polite man at least, but she knew how fast that could change. But still she felt safer here than at the other place. But she was sleepy and just wanted to rest her eyes till the Rafiq came back.**_

_**When he re-entered the room she was fast asleep and he didn't have the heart to wake her up, so he placed the water on the table beside her and left the room. The girl seemed so fragile, yet so strong, he thought, and she was the kind of woman that any man would fight and die for.**_

_**But she was a mess when she got there. He could tell that the girl had been tortured for a long time and it was a wonder to him that she even lived right now. As they started to slice up her clothes to tend to the wound in her leg, they discovered that the girl had been tortured, badly. Her back was just like a big flesh wound and she had cuts and bruises all over her body. It had taken hours to clean and wrap her wounds.**_

_**He didn't think she would make it through the first night but she did and she had been fast asleep for three days. They had only woken her so she would drink some water but she clearly didn't remember that. He was looking forward to the conversation they were going to have in the morning.**_

_**She woke with a light headache, a dry throat and a sore body. It took her a while to remember what had happened and where she was, but as the pieces of her memory started to fall in order her light headache turned to a heavy one. She tilted her head to the right to find a cup of water, reached out for it and drank.**_

_**She sat up with an effort and took in her surroundings. There were no windows, and she sighed at the realisation. Windows were almost always the best way to escape a place. The room was lit up by only one candle and it was so hot in there. Well the only way out seemed to be through the door. She started to stretch her limbs and groaned in pain. Moving too much was out of the question. She was still too weak for that, so she had to just wait and heal before she could try to escape.**_

_**She rested her head against the wall and closed her eyes. Well at least she was not in the hellhole anymore and that was always a plus. But if she succeeded to run away where would she go? She had no home anymore and she knew no one in this country. Maybe she should go out in to the wild? She would be much harder to find that way.**_

_**There was a light knock on the door, but she kept her eyes closed and stayed still. The door opened with a small squeak and she could feel the presence of someone coming in. There was a small hesitation in the room as if the person could not decide if she was asleep or not. Then the person coughed as to see if she would give a reaction and she could feel the corner of her mouth twitch. Why the whole situation seemed funny to her, she didn't know.**_

_**She opened her eyes slowly to discover that it wasn't the old man from before that was in the room now, it was a younger man. He was maybe about 20 years or so, tall, dark, and he had only one arm. He was dressed in a white robe and had a black coat over the top. He seemed genuine, even though she could not see his face that well in the darkened room. The fact that he had only one arm frightened her a bit but she did not let that show in her face. Even though she couldn't see his eyes she could still feel them on her, analyzing her.**_

_**"You're awake." he said simply. He had a low, pleasant voice, the kind you listen to in hard times. She remained silent, watching him. He sighed and moved forward to her, "I'm going to tend to your wounds now, so I need you to turn around to face your back at me."**_

_**She complied, turned around and pulled her blonde hair forward.**_

_**She could feel his hand loosing up her bandage on her back. Then he started to clean her back with water. They remained silent as he worked, but she would now and then hiss in pain. When he was finished he stayed behind her. She could feel his warm breath on her left shoulder.**_

_**"I am going to ask you some questions now and I want you to answer them truthfully. Do you understand?" She swallowed and turned slightly around so she could see his face and then she nodded.**_

_**"Good." His lips twitched a bit. "So, are you hungry?" He could read surprise in her face. Whatever she had expected this was not it, but she nodded again, hesitantly. "You don't talk that much, do you?" he said and he could see her lip move up.**_

_**Her eyes looked in his and she said simply, "No."**_

_**He rose and walked out of the room to get her something to eat. The girl seemed so protective and there was something about her. What it was, he didn't know. She was just like a mystery and he couldn't get her off his mind. There was no information about her to collect anywhere. It was like she first begun to exist when Altaïr had brought her to the bureau.**_

_**But he could not see past the fact that she may be a spy for the Templars. It wouldn't be the first time they had tried something like this. But then again she had been trying to escape from them and… He sighed. This was no use. The quickest way to get answers was to ask her. He could tell that it was not going to be easy.**_

_**When he re-entered the room she was resting her head against her knees. He placed the food on the table and left her to eat in private.**_

_**She heard him come in and place the food on the table and then leave. He had brought her some stew, bread and some more water. Now when she could smell and see the food her hunger begun to hurt. When was the last time she had some food of good quality? She couldn't even recall.**_

_**She begun to eat slowly, thinking of her situation. Why hadn't started to question her yet? And why they were being so… nice? It felt good for once that someone was speaking to her as she was a human being and not a piece of trash. But still she needed get away from here. Once they started to ask questions they would want answers that were true, and she could not give them that. That was when people tended to get violent.**_

_**She was just so tired of it all. The pain, the fact that she had no freedom, the endless chase and running away from them, it was like a never ending circle. It felt like a hundred years since she was home with her family, free. She sighed. Dwelling in the past was not going to help her. She needed to stay focused and come up with a solid story to tell them.**_

_**AN:**_** I soo sorry that it took me so long time to get this up, but school is crazy and I was sick for two weeks. ^^' Well I have started on chapter 3 but it's going slowly and school comes first, sadly. Well thanks for your reviews! They make my day! So please writhe one? Pretty please? Tell me what you like and don't or just your thoughts about the chapter. Oh and special thanks to AC2ezio, you rock!**

**/ kyskhet**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: A big thank you to my new beta Vayluh Arwen. I love you and your awesome beta skills! :D**

Chapter Three

She woke with a gasp, sitting straight up in her bed, gasping for air and looking around. She was soaked in sweat and her heart was beating hard in her chest. Adrenalin was pumping through her veins and her whole body was set on survival.

It took a moment before she could collect her thoughts and take in her surroundings. Her eyes slowly got accustomed to the darkness in the small room she was in. Her mind was still racing at a deadly speed but after a while her memory caught up with her mind and she remembered.

Her escape, the fight, the hooded man and her awakening.

She was the same room as before and it was all in place. The small, roughly-made table was still there, and on it a single candle, unlit. The cold, bare stonewalls were as silent as the night. The only sound was her panting breaths.

She begun to calm herself down, forcing herself to breathe slowly again. After some frantic heartbeats her pulse had dropped back to normal. Her awakening mind slowly started to become aware of the throbbing pain in her back, and she squeezed her eyes shut again. It felt like her wounds had been ripped open, and then doused in salt. She let out a small whimper of pain as she loosened up the bandages covering her slashed-open back. The bandages were soaked in sweat and she shivered in the cool night air, having been only covered in them and a pair of dark red pants.

She felt miserable. Her whole body was still shaking from the terrors of her dream, and she could feel how the hopelessness had swept over her like a storm. It was freezing. She glanced over the floor to find her thick, dark green blanket. It must have fallen off her in the night, shaken by her disturbed sleep.

She bent down with an effort to pick it up, wincing at the strain, quickly wrapping it around her shivering body. She manoeuvred herself into a sitting position with her back against the wall, her head resting on her knees. The pain was no longer so intense... but it still lingered. She closed her blue eyes and thought about the dream that had woken her up. A bad dream. No. 'Bad dream' was an understatement. It had been a nightmare. A nightmare from hell.

In her dream she had been captured again by the Templars, and almost tortured to death. She had been able to feel everything, every single punch, kick and stab so clearly that she thought that they had her again. It felt so real. She could still remember the smell of her burnt flesh when they burned her, and she shuddered at the memory.

But then a strange but a familiar feeling had come over her and the dream had changed to something else. Something more terrifying.

She had been running down the street in a city she never seen to before. The setting sun bathed the city in red and scarlet, everything almost glowing in the light. It could have been beautiful, but to her it was little less than background. Someone - or something - was chasing her, and she was running for her life. Down and up, in and out of alleys. Her heart was beating like a drum in her chest, fast and hard, and she was running so hard it felt like her legs would come off any second. But even though she was running as fast as she could, she could not run away from whatever was chasing her.

She knew in her that she was doomed and she had no chance of seeing the light of the next sunrise. But her mind was screaming at her to run faster and stronger. Survival meant everything, just to survive. The shadows stretched out for her as she ran through endless alleys. Something grabbed her from behind. She screamed.

And then she woke.

She sighed and gazed out on the room with dead eyes. She knew exactly what the dream had meant; in this land she would meet her end. Tears leaked from her eyes as she closed them again, and she tightened her grip around her bent legs, pulling herself closer. So far her dreams about the future had never been wrong. She was frightened..

The two men settled down on the floor before her, eyeing her with interest. The old man had brought some tea with him and when he offered her some, she accepted. The tea had a bitter taste but it was good. She was still nervous and a little scared from last night, but the tea helped her calm her nerves. She wasn't paying any attention to the men in front of her but she could feel them watching her every move. She mentally sighed and started to play a little with her blond hair. This was going to be a long day. She took a sip of her tea.

"So..." the younger man started and she could feel how butterflies started to fly around in her stomach. She lifted her gaze and looked him in the eyes. They were dark, like ink.

"Let's start with your name?" he was speaking with a low, pleasant voice.

A name. A simple enough question. "Should you not offer your own name before ask for an others?" She replied with a sweet smile. It surprised her how confident she sounded, knowing full well how difficult it was to maintain a calm face.

He chuckled. "Indeed you should. I am Malik, and this is the Rafiq of this place."

She liked his voice, she thought before she answered him. "I'm Saga." She could see the surprise flitter across their faces, as it did so often with others. They had probably never heard it before, and with good reason.

"What city is this and where am I?" She asked before they could ask another question. She could use this opportunity to get some information of where she was and how to get away from here. And then maybe, just maybe, she could prevent her dream from coming reality.

"Well, this is the city of Acre," the old man answered with a surprised voice, even if his face showed nothing, "How could you not know that?"

She just snorted at the Rafiq's question, deliberately not giving an answer. He had not answered her question about where she was. And that was never a good sign.

Suddenly there was a sound of light footsteps outside the door and the Rafiq got up quickly and left the room. She could hear a mumble of words outside, but not the conversation.

She gazed over to Malik to find that he was lost in thought. She paused for a moment, just looking at him. He looked so harmless and vulnerable, in some strange way. But as if he could hear her thoughts or feel her gaze, he looked her in the eyes and smirked.

She narrowed her eyes at him and mentally started to curse herself. She should know better than to jump to conclusions. Malik was probably just as deadly as the man that brought her here. One arm or two.

Then the Rafiq re-entered the room "Malik, I'm afraid that my presences is needed elsewhere, so the bureau is in your hands for now. Safety and peace be upon you brother."

"And to you as well." Malik replied bowing his head.

When the Rafiq left the room it became silent for a moment. Saga could feel herself becoming drowsy again, the wounds on her back itching and hurting all over. She had not been able to sleep after she had awoken, the memory of the dream and the sharp pain of her wounds refusing her rest.

But she knew very well that the questioning had only just had begun and it would be a long time before she could rest again.

"Where are you from Saga and how did you end up here?" Malik's voice was soft but there were an undertone in it that wasn't to be played with. She signed and locked her crystal blue eyes on his darks ones. She could feel the sting of fear going through her body.

"I... it's..." she started but tailed off. She didn't know were to begin or how much she could reveal about herself to him.

Heck, she didn't even know if Malik was in league with the Templars, for all she knew he could be. If he was then she was damned whatever she told him. Though, in a way she already was.

"I'm from a land far away from here. I was taken from my home by Templars. I don't know why." Saga's voice was low, her speech deliberately short. Her eyes stayed locked on Malik's face, trying to read his emotions.

But his face showed nothing, and she could feel the lump in her stomach beginning to grow bigger.

People in general were usually easy to read, they almost always showed some kind of an emotions or reactions on their faces even if they didn't know about it. Saga could remember her mother saying that the eyes were the 'windows to the soul'. Everyone could be read.

But this man showed absolutely nothing in his face or eyes, and it was already making her uneasy.

He shifted slightly, expression not changing, "How did you come to be in this poor state? You were barely alive when you came here."

She gave the slightest dry smile, "Because when men are in control they tend to become violent. In particular if it's a strong minded woman they are dealing with."

Malik could feel how the corner of his lip lifted for a half of a second. He could see how there had been trouble capturing this woman. She was definitely a handful. "Tell me, do you remember the man who brought you here?"

Saga paused for a moment. Then nodded.

"Well good. Because I want to know how you managed to escape in your first encounter with him."

Saga lifted her eyebrow at Malik's question. Did that really matter? Why would Malik would be interested in what happened? "Well he slammed me against the wall, 'blessing' me with my life, so I kicked him between his legs and ran off." She replied, coolly and factually. She eyed Malik with an interest. Was that a smile she saw? "Who is he anyway?"

"He is the most skilled man in our entire organization. Well, he would be, if not of his arrogant, rash and selfish mind. I was curious because... there are not many people who can say they have managed to get away from him. I was interested as to how you did." Malik had seemed casual as he answered her question, but suddenly a flicker moved over his expression, a darkness. "He's called... Altaïr."

Hmm... Saga thought, I can sense a story under here...

"What is going to happen to me now?" Saga changed the subject, quickly, sensing that Malik had little desire to talk about this Altaïr person.

He shook his head, "That's for the Master to decide."

Well. Wasn't that just great.

"And who is this 'Master' of yours?"

Malik smirked. "That you can find out when you meet him." She wanted more information, but he shook his head, standing an moving over to her, "Now. How are your wounds feeling? Are they healing as they should?" He didn't wait for an answer, instead placing a hand on her shoulder. Automatically, she turned her back to him, crossing her legs as he started to undo the bandages on her back.

Saga was lost in her thoughts so she almost missed what Malik said to her. "This is going to scar, badly." he said with a low voice touching her back with a gentle hand. He had just cleaned the wounds on her back. They were healing but Malik had seen many wounds in his days and he knew witch ones that were going to leave marks.

A shame on so beautiful a girl.

"I know." Saga whispered. She paused for a moment, and then tried for some dry amusement: "It is a good thing that I can't see my back, then." She gave a small, sad smile. Her back felt better after Malik had cleaned it but Saga still felt sorrow over her lacerated back. What man would want her with this body? Then she shook her head, smiling that grim smile again. What man would consider her after what she been through, anyway.

Malik's warm hand felt good on her back, and Saga felt how easily she relaxed in his care.

Saga and Malik both jumped when the door to the room smacked open with a BAM, and a man in white robs entered the room.

Saga could feel how fear griped its claws in her and she held her breath. She covered her breasts fast with a blanket. Who did this man think he was? Marching in like that. She breathed out and turned around to face the man that had come in.

The room lay in silence for a few moments before Malik spoke. "Altaïr. So you have finally returned. I trust your mission was a success?" Saga could feel how her blood ran cold. So he was back. She glanced over to Malik to find that his eyes were as cold as his tone. She shuddered; suddenly the room had become so cold.

"Yes it was. And now I need to speak with you in private." Saga could feel Altaïr's gaze on her when he ended his sentence. His voice was as dark, as deep and rough as Saga remembered it. She could feel the dominance radiate from him and she shrunk in to a little ball. She did not like this man. He made her feel like a prey under his sharp gaze.

She straightened her back and made her face an emotionless mask. She would not show her fear in front of this man. Not now, not ever.

"And you will. But first I need to finish this." Malik gestured at Saga's bare, wounded back. "You can wait outside. Close the door on your way out." Malik continued with a gruff voice, leaving no chance to argue with his order.

Altaïr only nodded and walked out of the room. But before he closed the door he cast one last glance on the half naked girl on the bed.

**AN: Altaïr your such a pervert! **

**Please leave a review , they make me write. Again some more love to my beta Vayluh Arwen!**

**/kykshet**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Sorry about the long wait. Enjoy. **

**Chapter Four**

Saga sat on the earth floor in the room, drumming her fingers against her legs, feeling restless. It felt like forever since Malik had gone out to speak to Altaïr, and she had heard them yelling at each other outside her door.

How much time had passed since then? She did not know. Being in this room was becoming rather annoying at this point.

The room was dark as always, and since she could not see the sun or moon she could not pick up the flow of time. She stood up with an effort and begun to pace around in the small room. It felt good to move her muscles again.

She thought of what had happened in the days she had been here. Analyzing it all over again. She still didn't know what was going to happen to her. Or about this master she was supposed to meet. She did not like being in the dark about these things. But, of course, patience was a virtue...

Saga was so lost in her thoughts that she failed to hear the footsteps outside the door to her room. She became quite afraid when the door flew open and in stepped Altaïr. The room felt immediately a lot smaller. Must be his giant ego, she figured.

Why is he here and where is Malik? She thought as she felt his strong gaze on her.

Altaïr took a step forward closer to her and she took one back in reflex. She did not trust this man, or like him.

"We are leaving. Put this on." he said as he threw a dark blue piece of cloth to her.

Saga caught it in reflex and stared at it as she held it in her hands. The texture was quite rough and thick. She looked back at Altaïr and she could tell that he was becoming impatient with her.

"I said. Put. It. On." As he spoke he moved closer to her. This time she didn't dare to take a step back. Show no fear she thought. "Not simple enough for you?" He mocked, drawing closer still. The whole room suddenly seemed to disappear and left was Saga and the man before her.

Saga could feel how she begun to sweat and tremble and she swallowed nervously.

Her eyes flicked down to the piece of cloth in her hands. She started to unfold it with shaky hands and it transformed into a robe like the ones Malik and Altaïr were wearing. She pulled it on and it fitted her pretty well. The arms were a little too long, but other than that it was good.

"Well that wasn't so difficult now, was it?" Altaïr's cold voice came far too close to her and Saga snapped her head up.

He was only a foot away from her.

She could feel how her pulse sped up and she held her breath. Her eyes slowly made their way up to his. She could see them clearly now, given their position.

Altaïr's scent filled her nose. The musky scent of man, sweat and leather. She shuddered.

Why was he having such an impact on her? She hated this man and could not comprehend this feeling.

Altaïr took a stray of Saga's blonde hair in his hand, feeling the texture of it. He was surprised by the softness of it.

He could feel her eyes burning holes in his face and he mentally sighed. They should be going now. Since he came across this girl the Templar activity in Acre had increased into the double. It would be smart to lay low and get this girl to the master as soon as possible.

Altaïr was not happy with his orders. Women usually were a lot of trouble. Still, there was something about this one that intrigued him. Well it was probably just because she looked and acted differently from any woman he had ever met. He decided not to dwell on it.

"Tuck your hair in your hood so you don't draw so much attention when we move." he voiced as he let go of her hair.

Saga snapped out of her daze and did as he asked, pulling her long hair back into the hood.

"Keep the hood on at all times" Altaïr said in a commanding voice. When she was done, she nodded her understanding. He griped her wrist and pulled her with him out of the room.

Saga almost fell over when she was pulled forward by Altaïr and she could feel her anger rise. Was he aiming on being an asshole? If so, he had just hit the mark. Saga missed Malik.

She was dragged out in a small dark corridor that led out to a room with an open roof and a fountain and lot of big cushions, but no door. How were they supposed to get out?

But before she could come up with an answer Altaïr picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. She let out a yelp out of surprise and clutched her hands at the back of his robe.

His musky scent filled her nose once more and she could feel how his strong muscles flexed under her. She swallowed.

Altaïr scaled the wall and then they were on the roof, standing in the silent night.

Saga took in everything at the same time, the sounds and smells of the city. A light breeze gazed her skin and she look up at the night sky. She had missed the sight of the moon and stars.

She waited for Altaïr to put her down, but he didn't. Instead he started to run over to the edge of the building. Making no sign of slowing down or stopping. Saga could feel how her stomach flipped. Was he going to try jumping over to the next house across the street?

When Altaïr jumped off she let out a petrified shriek, closing her eyes and gripping his back hard. They were going to die. She was sure of it.

It felt like an eternity before she felt him make contact with the other side and stop.

At first Saga felt numb but then her anger begun to boil in her veins and she begun to curse Altaïr in her native tongue before she could stop herself. His body tensed underneath her, and she stopped her cursing.

With a swift movement Saga suddenly found herself pushed into a wall, and she moaned out in pain, her back now throbbing again. Was he never going to stop manhandling her?

She could feel how Altaïr used his strong body to trap her between him and the wall. It felt like déjà vu all over again.

Altaïr's body radiated heat and she shivered in the cold night, his scent hitting her senses strongly. She took a deep breath to fill her nose with it. She closed her eyes, not daring to open them, afraid of his scrutinizing gaze. It felt like he could see into her soul.

Saga could feel his breath in her face. Was he really that close? She wanted to know, but she kept her eyes closed.

But when she felt his lips on her cheek, her eyes snapped open to find that he had placed both of his hands on either side of her head, and his face was disturbingly close to hers. What was he doing?

His honey-coloured eyes were piercing into her, like a lion eyeing his prey. At this moment she felt like prey, too. She let her gaze wander over his handsome face, taking in everything, his strong jaw line, his straight nose and the scar across his full lips.

She could feel an urge to run away from here, from this man and this thing he did to her. But another part of her wanted noting more than to feel his lips against hers, to melt in his embrace.

But before she could make up her mind, his rough lips meet hers.

**AN: I'm sorry it took so long for me to update, but I have lost my interest in this story and I'm not sure if I should continue it or not. School is a bitch right now so I don't have the time to write that much. **

**Do you want me to continue this story? Please review and let me know. **

**A big hug and thank you to my beta Vayluh Arwen, you rock! **

**And also thanks for the reviews, they make my day ;) **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_She could feel an urge to run away from here, from this man and the thing he did to her. But another part of her wanted noting more than to feel his lips against hers, to melt in his embrace. _

_But before she could make up her mind his rough lips meet hers._

* * *

Saga felt how a lethal heat sweep through her body like a wild fire and she could not help to let out an uncontrolled soft moan by the feel of Altaïr's lips against hers. It felt so right in some strange sense.

Saga tried to wrap her head around the fact that he was kissing her, like really kissing her. But why? He hand been nothing but cold and rough towards her in the past. So why now?

Altaïr's tongue brushed across her lips, as asking for entry. Saga was still so shocked by the kiss and she had no control over her own body as she opened her mouth to grant him permission.

Altaïr immediately became dominant as their tongues danced together and she thought that he tasted like sweet fruits which she find surprising, but jet alluring.

And she wanted more.

He pressed himself harder against her and so she could feel every inch of his body against hers. But Saga needed to breathe and she pulled back and took in a trembling breath.

She shivered. She could still taste Altaïr on her lips.

Altaïr's lips ghosted down her jaw and down to her neck where he begun to suck on a spot where her throat and neck combined. His hand drifted up to her hips where his fingers begun to make slow, gentle, small storks and circles.

Saga's head was spinning and her lips were swollen from the kiss. And she could feel how a heat made it's way down her body with every kiss on the neck and every slow motion his hands were doing.

With Altaïr's taste lingering on her soft lips Saga could not help the spark that something was not right about this situation. It just seemed so… so out of place for his character.

But before Saga could voice her consent to Altaïr he crushed his lips against hers again, demanding submission as they moved on hers.

He did not wait for her permission this time as he plunged his tongue in to her hot mouth.

Saga felt how a small stream of panic made it's way trough her mind and her body grew stiff. She did not want this anymore. In her mind terrible memories flashed through and she felt how tears begun to fill her eyes.

She moved her slender hands up against Altaïr's chest and pushed. Trying to make him move away from her body so that she could think again.

Just his mere presence was usually enough to cloud her mind. And now it was like a storm swept through her.

But it was in vain. It was like trying to move a mountain, a mountain made of pure muscles. Saga could not help herself as her hands moved up and down Altaïr's hard toned chest savouring the feel him under her fingertips. In some sense she could not help to curse the fact that there were cloths between them.

Altaïr drew back his lips once more to let them get some much needed air and turned his head away for a moment before he plunged his tongue once more in to her mouth but this time it was different.

Saga could feel how something else entered her mouth with Altaïr's tongue and how she accidentally swallowed the small object that had been forced into her mouth. Her blood ran cold as she could feel how the little thing slowly made it's way down her throat.

With a force that only a person in panic could muster Saga pushed Altaïr away from her and sank down on her knees. She moved her hand up to her mouth sticking her fingers in her mouth to try and throw up whatever she had swallowed.

But before her hand could made contact with her lips her hand was seized by a lager hand and soon her other hand was captured by Altaïr. Then he flipped her down onto her back gently only to straddle her in the process.

So there she laid flat on the ground on her back with Altaïr hovering over her as he waited for something. And just as Saga opened her mouth to speak or rather yell at him, she could feel it.

A numbness spread across her body making her unable to move. Not even a finger.

Panic rushed through her body. What was happening to her? Had he given her some sort of drug? But the feel of it was probably so.

Saga's mind was slowly fading away from her and there were black spots hindering her eyesight and they begun to close.

Forcing her eyes open she caught Altaïr's golden eyes and held his gaze as she gently slipped in to the void of nothingness. "I…I hate you." She choked out before the darkness swallowed her whole.

* * *

Altaïr studied the unconscious girl underneath him for a moment letting his gaze wander over her face only to linger on the soft lips he had kissed just a minute ago.

Her lips were slightly swollen and parted from his kisses and he felt a sudden urge to kiss her again, to taste her once more. But before the emotion could make it's way around his body he killed it.

The assassin hosted the unconscious girl over his shoulder and begun to move silently over the rooftops towards the gates of the city.

* * *

The first thing she become aware of a the burning in her throat and an ache in her body. Then slowly Saga got the felling of her body back but she waited to open her eyes till the point were she could feel her whole body once more.

Saga could hear and feel the soft wind on her face. Close by was a fire, she could felt the heat from it to her left side.

She opened her eyes on only to close them again with a groan. They stung when the dim light entered them.

Suddenly an overwhelmingly headache shot through her head making her cry out in pain. Making clear for those around her that she was conscious once more.

Through the thick fog of pain Saga could hear a smooth voice call out to her.

"Welcome back to the land of the living".

* * *

**A/N: I'm back! Sorry for the long wait. ****I will continue this story for now. But I will be going to England for some time so I don't know when I can update again… But I will!**

**Thanks for all the support it means allot to me. Please review! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"_Welcome back to the land of the living."_

* * *

Saga's heart stopped. Had they found her? Was she back in their cruel hands? It took her a moment to process the recent events before she could place the voice. And when she did she could not help to feel somewhat more relaxed and secure.

Saga opened her eyes again but this time she did it slowly, she had learned her lesson from before. This time she let her sky blue eyes have a chance to adjust to the light they would most certain meet. Once they had, Saga slowly gazed up to the location where the familiar voice had it's source.

Then sky blue eyes meet ink black ones.

It seemed that Malik had joined in on hers and Altaïr's little journey.

Suddenly a new wave of pain rushed through her body. She closed her eyes and let out a whimper in pain. Would it never stop? She dug her fingers down in the ground as trying to send the pain in it. What was wrong with her?

In her pain like state Saga could feel how a warm, big hand gently laid upon her forehead. Then it gently moved to one of her temple where it started to ever so softly massage, smoothing the pain away.

"What you are feeling now is the side affects of the drug you were given. The pain will probably lessen soon, but I will have to give you something to ease it." Malik's voice sounded so faraway but Saga could still pick up the truth in them, making her relax a bit.

Malik's hand switched to her other temple and started to rub and Saga could feel how the pain begun to lose it's grip on her but, it was still there.

She let out a breath that she did not know she was holding, her body begun to slowly relax thanks to Malik's gentle caring.

Saga opened her eyes to find that Malik was slightly leaning over her so that he could reach her temple properly, which he was still gently rubbing.

Their eyes meet and he stopped the motion of his hand.

Everything suddenly around her seemed to disappear, she could only focus on Malik's dark, smoldering eyes. It felt like she was shrinking deeper in them and if she would continue to look in them she would surely drown. But she was unable to move her gaze from his eyes, he was holding her capture with his dark eyes.

He gently moved his fingers down from her temple, tracing her jaw down to her mouth. She shuddered. Malik's gaze moved down from her eyes traveling over her face down to her full lips.

Saga stopped breathing. What was he going to do with her?

Then he slowly begun to trace her lower lip with his thumb and by doing so he ignited small flames all over her body making her shiver in the cool night air.

His gaze moved up and met hers, she inhaled a shaky breath. What was he doing to her? She could see how Malik's lips tugged up in the corner of his mouth and his eyes had a playful glint in them that she had never seen before.

The light of the fire was dancing over his face, giving him a mysterious look and as usual he had a quiet confidence about himself.

In other words, he was very handsome.

Saga let her eyes dance over his face, taking in his features, briefly stopping on his lips before moving up to meet his dark eyes once more.

Saga did not know how long they were staring each other in the eyes, time seemed to have stopped around them. Then Malik begun to slowly close the space between them.

Saga's heart was beating loudly in her ears, her mouth was suddenly very dry and she was painfully aware of a rock digging in her back.

"Are I'm interrupting something?" A cold voice called out close by startling both Malik and Saga, breaking the moment between them.

Saga knew that hateful voice, she knew it were well. And how she despised it and whom it did belong to. She turned her head to where it had come and spotted Altaïr standing by the fire.

First her body turned cold, then warm when a fiery wave of anger rushed through her body, crushing in her veins making her body shake in pure fury. "You!" She spit out in a venomous voice sitting up without thinking.

And then the world turned black once more and Saga faded into unconsciousness.

When Saga begun to regain her senses she could hear people argue, two male voices, Altaïr and Malik. But they speaking in they own languish so she could not understand what was being spoken between them.

Then she suddenly noticed another thing, the ground was soft and warm. How was that possible? She opened her eyes to find she was spread out in Malik's lap. Blood rushed up to her cheeks making them red.

Had she passed out on him? By the look of things, that was probably the chase.

Much like Altaïr, Malik's body was radiating heat, warming her in the night. But the thought brought forth other memories, like the feel of Altaïr's lips against hers, making her blushing even deeper.

What was with her?

Normally no man had any affect on her, but now their was not only one, but two men that was making her blush and feel like a little girl. This was absurd, she was a warrior and she had to gather herself and being to focus on her mission - to escape.

But in her heart Saga knew that escaping from either of Malik or Altaïr was going to be like putting out a fire with oil - impossible.

She was sure that Altaïr would hunt her down to the end of the world. But she still had to try, she owed allot of people that.

Saga moved her head in to a more comfortable position, altering Malik that she was awake again. He barked something to Altaïr how answered and bowed before disappearing somewhere in the night.

She looked at Malik's face that held a grim expression. He turned his face towards hers and she felt a shiver of fear run down her back by the look in his dark eyes.

He looked ready for murder.

But he must had seen something in her eyes because his face softened as he continued to stare her in the eyes. "I'm sorry about that," Malik's voice was smooth like silk, like he was not trying to frightened her. "but that idiotic and arrogant novice gets on my nerves".

That makes two of us, she thought in response but chose not to speak. She did not want to anger the man. So Saga only nodded in her consent.

She had been once more reminded that Malik could be as scary as Altaïr if he chose so, even if he seemed more gentle, she could not let that fact make her lower her guard, he was a killer too.

"I will give you some herbs that will neutralize the drug you were given." Malik's eyes bored in to hers. "That stupid novice could not even give you the right amount, in fact he gave you too much and could have killed you."

A cold hand laid over her heart. What? That stupid excuse of a man had almost killed her because he made a mistake? Not only _did_ he drug her but he could not even do it properly? Oh, when she got her hands on him…

Malik gently lifted her head of his warm lap and placed it back on the blanket where she had been sleeping before. He rose and walked away to get what Saga guessed the herbs he'd spoke of earlier.

She wanted to sit up, bur didn't dare. She was not so keen on fainting again and when she thought about it she relished that she had been doing that a lot in the recent times. Well that was something that was going to change in the future.

Saga still felt anger over the whole drug accident but she knew that it had been necessary. It was so that she would not find the place where they had been staying. A what _should_ had been _simple _action to protect the location of the bureau.

And then that idiotic man had almost killed her and not only that, he had sexually assaulted her in doing so.

By thinking of it she could once more feel Altaïr's lips against hers, the feel of his strong body pressed close to hers and his mouth moving on her neck.

Her body suddenly got warmer, she could still recall the taste of him on her lips and she flushed red. This had to stop now, she mentally kicked herself.

Saga knew very well that for a minute she had desired him, after the shock had passed that he had actually kissed her. But then that desire turned into fear when he wouldn't stop. It had reminded her of her time when she was with the Templars and how they had used her in their own sick pleasure.

She had clamed down and started to enjoy the kissing again. But then it was the little fact that he had drugged her and she had to admit it was a smart move even if it had wounded her pride.

"Drink this, it will take the pain away." Malik's voice brought Saga out of her thoughts.

She managed to sit up without passing out but her head was spinning by the movement. He held out a cup of something out to her, she reached for it and gazed down on the content in the cup.

The liquid had some kind of brownish color and it smelt bitter and made her nose itch when she brought the cup up to her nose to smell it.

She felt a little dubious about drinking it after the whole incident with Altaïr but she could feel Malik's heated stare on her and knew that she did not have so much of a chose this time either - she had to drink it by her own hand or his.

Before she could change her mind she swallowed the whole thing and let out a cough by the taste of it. If it had smelt bitter it was noting compare with what it taste like.

She made a face and gave the cup back to Malik that was smiling slightly as he thought she had done something funny.

"Now you will go back to sleep and you should feel fine by tomorrow." It was a order, not a request and it was not to be questioned. That much she could make out from his tone.

She figured that Malik was still angry from his spat with Altaïr, even if he did not show it.

Not wanting to get yelled at she laid down on the blanket and pulled another around her to keep her warm. She could hear Malik move away in the direction of the bags and staring to fix with them.

The recent days caught up with her and she felt tired and it was not long before sleep burrowed it's claws in her and dragged her down to her personal hell.

* * *

**A/N: ****Thank my trip to England and Wales for this chapter! ****I need a new beta so if you are interested please let me know. **

**Remember to review, only a few words is fine to let me know what you think of it. ****Reviews makes my day and makes me write faster ;) So please do! /kyskhet **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: A big thank you for my new beta janit3443! Enjoy.**

**Chapter 7**

_Not wanting to get yelled at, she laid down on the blanket and pulled another around her to keep her warm. She could hear Malik move away in the direction of the bags and starting to fix them. _

_The recent days caught up with her and she felt tired and it was not long before sleep burrowed it's claws in her and dragged her down to her personal hell._

Fire. The fire was everywhere. People were screaming in pain and agony as they were burned alive together with the houses they were trapped in. Saga's childhood home was standing in flames before her eyes and she was powerless to do something to stop it, or save her people.

Instead she was forced to watch.

Standing on top of a hill, with her feet and hands bound in chains she looked down at what she had called home. With tears running down her face, she looked away from the horrible sight, only to be struck hard in the back. She refused to make any kind of sound when she hit the ground painfully face first, she would not give them the satisfaction.

Suddenly she was roughly pulled back on her feet. A hand laid on her back of her neck with a fierce grip, turning her head towards the scene once more.

"Watch!" A man snarled in her ear, making her shiver in disgust "You will watch as these heathens burn and learn that this is what awaits those who defy God!".

The smoke stung in her eyes, the smell of burning laid heavily in the air making it hard to breathe and the screams, Saga would never in her life forget those screams of pain and for help.

She felt dizzy. The world was spinning and suddenly the scenery changed and she was back in her earlier vision, running down the streets for her life in the city she knew that she would meet her end in.

Saga knew that she had to run faster or she would die; she knew this well but could not seem to get away from whatever was chasing her. Her pulse was beating loudly in her ears, her breath was coming short, and her whole body was exhausted from the fierce running but she had to keep going. Around her, the city was bathing in red and scarlet light, making it looked like it was on fire.

She was about to make a sharp turn to the left and into an ally when a rough hand came over her mouth yanking her back and into the darkness.

Saga snapped her eyes open in fright, only to find that she had a hand covering her mouth. Panic and fear rushed through her body and she quickly moved her eyes to locate the threat against her. Then her blue eyes meet hard golden ones and her heart grew cold. Altaïr.

Altaïr's hand was cutting off her airways making it impossible for her to breathe.

He's going to kill me, she thought as the panic ten folded and she begun to struggle against his grip, trying to tear his hand of her face, though it was in vain, for he was too strong for her.

Refusing to give up she tried to kick him off but he only answered by pressing his hand down harder over her face and moving his body to lay partly over hers, pressing her into the ground.

Saga could feel her consciousness was staring to slip away from her and her body growing heavy but she fought against it with everything she had. She refused to pass out.

Then the grip changed and she was able to breathe through her nose. Relief flooded through her veins as she drew some painful breaths in, clearing her foggy mind.

Saga looked up at Altaïr's face, she had a excellent view on it from her position on the ground with him leaning over her.

A soft breeze moved over them, rustling in their clothes. His scent filled her nose, making her feel a bit…she didn't even know. But what she did know was that she did not want him so close to her, not after what had happened in their last encounters.

In the gentle morning light Altaïr's eyes seemed to be glowing in a unnatural way. A shiver went down her spine at the cold stare he was giving her. She could tell he was tense and on his guard. But why?

Where was Malik? She thought as she moved her eyes over the landscape around them for the first time in day light.

They had set camp on a platform that hung over the road they had been traveling on. A big rock hid most of the campsite from the road, but only if you were laying down. Looking around, she could not find him. Had he left her with Altaïr? She hoped not.

Suddenly Altaïr tensed up more and his gaze moved up to the road, but before she could send him a questionable gaze she heard it.

The sound of voices and horses moving closer towards where they where hiding. Were they in danger? With the luck she'd had recently, it was probably so.

Saga tensed up like Altaïr when the sound of the horse riders drew closer. What would happen now? She thought as her heart beat speed up. She sent a quiet prayer to her goodness asking for strength and protection if they would find themselves in battle.

The sight of a moving dark figure in the corner of her left eye made Saga's heart stop, snapping her gaze to the moving object she saw Malik. She let out a small sigh of relief, so he had not left her alone with Altaïr after all. Thank the goodness.

Malik moved silent and graceful over the ground towards her and Altaïr, when he reached them he shared a look with Altaïr as he laid down on the ground on the other side of her.

Saga wanted to ask him where he had been and what was going on but due to Altaïr's hand over her mouth, she settled with sending him a questionable gaze. She could tell he was tense and on his guard too.

But he only answered with a smirk and laid one of his fingers on his lips, telling her to be quiet and still. Saga felt annoyed by his action. As if she couldn't understand that herself.

She looked away from Malik and up into the sky. It was still very early; the sun had barely risen. Only a dim light was present.

The riders were coming closer and closer to the point where they were directly beneath them on the road, then they stopped.

Her body grew stiff and she unconsciously held her breath and she could tell that Altaïr was doing the same since his chest was not moving.

Not daring to move a muscle or else fearing that they would be discovered Saga tried to stain her ears to listen in on their conversation. At least the wind was blowing in the right direction caring their words towards them.

"…can't have gotten far away yet. Search the area thoroughly. She is to be found at any cost! In fact, the one who finds her get a reward. Move out! We meet at the camp at nightfall." Then followed the sound of horses moving away and men yelling cheerfully.

She could not move, it felt like all hope had left her…No, she thought and quickly cramped down on her emotions. She was a fighter and she'd better start acting like one. Self pity was not going to help her. What she needed was a plan to get away from here and an opportunity to make it happen.

So what if the Templar order was hunting her down? They'd have to capture or kill her! She had came this far and she was not giving up now, but if she had the choice, she would choose death over helping them, any day. After all, she was the key for their plan to work.

She could feel both Malik and Altaïr eyes on her, burning holes in her face with their heated gaze. Mentally sighing and rolling her eyes, she couldn't help to wonder what would happen now with the Templars hot on their trail.

Altaïr slowly removed his hand from her mouth and Saga pulled in a deep breath, it felt good to be able to breathe again.

Lifting her gaze to Altaïr's eyes she noticed that they still glowed in that unnatural golden light, a shudder running down her spine under the intensity of his stare, which he felt, given their close position. The corner of his lips twisted up in a smirk. Was he amused by her discomfort? Saga thought with anger. Narrowing her eyes, she glared at him, only to see his smirk widen.

Oh, how she would love to wipe that smirk off his damn face. Well two can play this game, she thought as she let her body relax under his, her eyes turning soft and she pushed up her soft breasts against his hard chest, making a low noise in the back of her throat.

Satisfaction filled her by the surprised look on his face, using his moment of weakness she flipped them around - now she was straddling him.

Leaning slowly down towards his face she could not help the smirk that slowly spread across her lips.

She stopped when her mouth was beside his ear, she inhaled his scent before she purred in his ear "As an Assassin, you should never underestimate your enemy, or it will be the last thing you do." Quickly she rolled off him and backed away from him before he could register her words.

In the background, she could hear Malik chuckle, but she kept her eyes focused on the now very angry man before her, well at least she got that damn smirk off his face and if looks could kill, she would be rather dead now.

A tense silence fell over them as Altaïr rose from the ground and started to walk towards her before Malik broke it, he started to speak to Altaïr in their native language as he moved off the ground, leaving her out of the conversation once more.

Saga could still feel the anger rolling off of Altaïr, even if his voice was cool and collected, and she got the feeling that she was going to pay a high price for her little show.

Tuning out their conversation, she started to wonder what would happen now that they had Templars on their tail, would they be in any conflict? She hoped not, but if that was the case it could be a good opportunity to get away. But if she was captured again… no she would not if happen again.

Saga signed and looked upon the sunrise, the air had become warmer already. It amazed her how fast it the climate changed in this land, the days were scolding hot and the nights were ice cold. A cool breeze caught her long blond hair making it dance around her head.

The sound of footsteps brought her out of her thoughts, she turned to find Malik walking away from the camp and towards the rock wall behind them.

Was he leaving her alone with Altaïr? Suddenly, she felt a bit unsure, and she nervously glanced over to the man she had provoked earlier, and wished she had some kind of weapon to defend herself.

Saga turned her full attention to Altaïr as he started to move towards her. Her mind was screaming at her to back away from the threat or run after Malik but her pride made her unable to move, show no fear she thought as her body tensed and her pulse speed up.

Altaïr stopped three feet before her and with a movement to fast for her to see he grabbed the front of her robe and pulled her hard towards him.

His intense stare was making her unable to move, she swallowed hard as he leaned down towards her. What would he do to her?

Altaïr's face was so close to hers that she could feel his hot breath on her face, the world around her disappeared and all that was remaining was the man in front of her, his strong presence overpowering all her senses, making her unable to focus on anything but him.

"I told you to keep your hood on at all times." His voice was rough and threatening, a shiver a fear went down her spine. Then he pushed her away from him, Saga stumbled for a few steps backwards before she regained her balance.

What is his problem? She thought as she glared at him, but before she could give him a piece her mind, Altaïr placed a hand on his sword and sent her a warning glare.

Saga quickly gathered her hair to braid it, and when she was done, she twisted it into a low bun and then she pulled her hood over her head.

Glancing over to Altaïr, she noticed that his hand was still on his sword, she once more cursed the fact that she did not had a weapon to defend herself with. Maybe she could steal one? Only a little knife or something like that. It would make her feel more at ease.

A heavy silence laid over the pair, for neither wanted to be the first that spoke. Then Altaïr turned from her and moved away towards the camp to start packing up, rolling up the rugs she had slept on. She observed him as he worked when the sound of horses moving closer broke the silence, making them freeze up.

**A/N: **I'm back! I hoped you enjoyed the chapter, let me know what you thought about it! Please leave a review, makes me write faster.

I also have a new beta janit3443, who is awesome! Thanks for your help with the chapter.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

_Glancing over to Altaïr, she noticed that his hand was still on his sword, she once more cursed the fact that she did not have a weapon to defend herself with. Maybe she could steal one? Only a small knife or something would do her fine. If anything it would make her feel more at ease._

_A heavy silence lay over the pair, for neither wanted to be the first that spoke. Then Altaïr turned from her and moved away towards the camp to start packing up, rolling up the rugs she had slept on. She observed him as he worked when the sound of horses moving closer broke the silence, making them freeze up._

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Saga sent a quick glance towards Altaïr, taking in his stiff posture, before returning her attention to where sounds emerged from. For a couple of tense seconds, she actually thought that the Templars had found them, but she relaxed when Malik, with two horses, came into her sight.

Relief came over her. He had not left her with Altaïr and for that, she was thankful because he frightened her. He was proud, arrogant and completely lethal and would stop at nothing to attain his goals.

She cast a glance at Malik; she doubted that he was much different from Altaïr in that sense, though he was better at hiding it.

Saga turned her attention at the two horses whose reigns Malik held in his hand.

One was big and black, graced with fine lines and emitted a pure, masculine beauty that only a stallion could, and even an untrained eye could tell that he was built for speed and endurance.

The other horse was smaller and it did not have the same presence as the black one. Its energy was gentler and it had a chestnut brown coloring. A mare then, Saga thought as she studied it, letting her eyes travel over its fine lines. When her eyes meet the mare's, her breath stopped in her throat and she felt a dull ache in her heart.

The mare had the same eyes filled with knowledge as her first own horse Sot. Saga quickly moved her gaze away from the horse and into the distance.

It was best not to think of the past. It would only bring pain, she thought as she closed her eyes, only to see a clear image of Sot and her childhood home. Taking a deep breath she gathered her thoughts and opened her eyes again.

Altaïr advanced towards the horse, going to the mare and strapping the bag behind the saddle and then taking the black one from Malik and swinging gracefully himself up onto it. Go figure that Altaïr had the masculine horse, Saga thought with a frown Maybe he was compensating for something? Her lips twisted in amusement.

While she had been looking at Altaïr, Malik had gotten up on his horse as well, leaving her alone on the ground.

Then she relished, she would be riding with one of them and she knew which one she preferred. As she began to inch closer to Malik, Altaïr's horse began to trot towards her and she felt her stomach drop.

There was no chance in hell that she was going on that horse with him after all he had done to her and as he could read her displeasure (which he probably could); Saga could almost hear the smirk on his lips.

Malik's voice broke the silence, "Saga, you will travel with Altaïr." And with that, he sealed her fate. Damn him. She opened her mouth to protest but before she could, her feet left the ground and she was lifted up to a well-defined chest. A small squeak of surprise left her lips as the ground disappeared from under her feet before the anger came. What was it with the manhandling?

"Let me go, you sorry excuse for a man!" She hissed through clenched teeth, thrashing against Altaïr's iron hard grip. She stilled when she felt cold metal against her throat.

"Woman, I suggest you get on the horse and be quiet before we are discovered, else I will make you do so myself." Altaïr's voice was low and deadly and Saga did not doubt for a second that he was speaking the truth and had no problem in setting his threats into motion.

Slowly she got on the horse; seated in front of Altaïr, she took a hold of the saddle before her. She could feel him; he was far too close to her for her to feel any comfort at all. Heat radiated off of his body and his smell enfolded her senses and did little to calm her down. She trembled in the cool morning air. Was it so cold before? She could not recall.

The stallion began to move forward and Saga willed her body to relax. She tried to concentrate on the familiar movement the horse made, when a strong arm came around her slim waist and she let out a startled gasp and tensed up. "Relax" Altaïr breathed out in her ear as he drew her closer towards himself.

Saga could literally feel Altaïr smirk behind her and she huffed under her breath, feeling her cheeks heat up, and for once she was thankful that the hood that hid her face.

Not wanting to give him any more satisfaction over her discomfort, Saga relaxed further into Altaïr's chest making her body grow heavy against him. She could easily feel his well-toned stomach against her back as she pressed into him, letting his scent and warmth wrap around her. A smirk graced Saga's lips as she felt Altaïr tense up at her closer proximity. Served him right, she thought as she snuggled even closer into his chest.

Malik took the lead as they made their way up a small pathway up the mountain. When the road began to lean upwards Saga was quite thankful for Altaïr's arm around her, holding her steady and securely against himself.

They traveled over the barren land for a couple of hours before stopping for a quick break by a stream where the horses could drink some water. They ate a small meal before mounting again, and picking up their speed as they moved over the land.

Saga enjoyed the way the wind blew on her face as they moved fast over the land, giving her some sort of way of cooling down in the harsh temperature.

In a way, it fascinated her how different the weather and landscape was from her own land, which was covered in snow for at least six months of the year and had big forests covering the land. With the fading light they slowed down and when the sun disappeared behind the horizon, it thankfully took the heat with it.

When they finally stopped for the night, Saga was more than sore all over and quite happy to get of the horse. Altaïr dismounted before her and before she could comprehend what he was doing he had already reached up for her and pulled her down without any effort.

Too tired to point out that she could have gotten off the horse by herself, Saga flipped her hood down and let her hair out and as she moved her fingers through her hair, she let out a pleased sigh. Completely ignoring the man behind her, she turned her attention to the stallion. After a whole day of running, he looked like he could do it all over again and then some.

Saga's heart went out to the proud animal. Wanting to show her gratitude to him for carrying her all day, she made a soft sound and held her hands out. The horse's ears moved and the stallion turned his head towards the sound. He eyed Saga carefully for a moment before lowering his head down to her hands.

A small genuine smile broke out on Saga lips when her hands touched the soft hide on the muzzle, and she let out a chuckle when he snorted and begun to rub himself into her hands.

Saga was completely oblivious to the fact that she held the full attention of the two assassins, who were watching her every movement. Both were unable to tear their eyes away from the stunning picture created by the female and the black stallion.

Her long blond hair was spilling over her back in small waves, almost glowing in the early night, full soft looking lips speaking in a gentle tone, in a foreign language and she was smiling in a way that made her eyes shine as she stroked the black beauty that was clearly enjoying the attention she provided.

The magic broke when the mare decided she'd had enough of waiting to being tended, so she rubbed her head against her master and made a soft whine.

Malik jumped at the sound when his horse made contact with him. He was startled for a second before his lips tugged slightly upwards.

Women. Such dangerous creatures they were, he thought with amusement, watching Altaïr snap back to reality as well. Here they were, in the middle of nowhere, with Templar soldiers after them and God knew what else was out there and all they could focus on was a girl petting a horse.

Malik caught Altaïr's gaze and sent him a meaningful look before smirking at him then turned to tend to his horse, but he could literally feel the glare from the former master assassin burning into his back.

Saga felt a shiver go down her spine; she could not understand why suddenly the peaceful atmosphere had changed into a tense one. Looking between the two men, there was a notable tension among them that hadn't been there before.

Frowning, she tried to think of something that could have caused it, but she could not think of anything, too tired to try and figure out the male logic between the two. Saga rubbed her tired eyes and moved away from the stallion so Altaïr could do his job.

She found a fairly flat rock which she sat down on, looking at the men who were again speaking in their own language as they worked. Saga moved so she could rest her head on top of her knees while she waited for them to finish up.

Closing her eyes, she listened to the wind, feeling her eyes growing heavy. She was just so tired… Maybe she could rest until the assassins finished with their work… Slowly, she drifted into a much-needed sleep.

Saga became vaguely aware that she was feeling cold, but she was too tired to comprehend why. Her head felt like a big, warm, fuzzy chunk and her body felt too heavy for her to even try and move. Then the world shifted and a jolt of pain ran through her body and she let out a small groan in protest.

Carefully she was placed down onto something rather hard, but at the same time very warm. Letting out a pleased sigh, she snuggled closer into the warmth, feeling it wrap itself around her.

Inhaling deeply, a familiar scent entered her nose, making her feel somewhat safe and secure. It took her a while to place the scent, making her walk down memory-scent lane before she finally could place it - Altaïr.

Her body tensed up at the resolution. She frowned and lifted her head up, starting to move into an upright position, but before she could get anywhere, she was almost crushed against a well-defined chest.

"Go back to sleep. You are safe here." Altaïr's deep voice rumbled in his chest as he tightened his hold on the girl and moved a hand into her soft blond locks, stroking her head in a soothing manner.

Saga immediately relaxed and went back into her sleep-like state. Feeling that something was missing, she thought about it before voicing her question, "W-where is Malik?" she asked drowsily, as she snuggled closer into Altaïr's chest. How could he possible radiate so much heat? She was freezing her ass off, even though she was the one who was raised in a cold and harsh environment.

The hand in her hair stopped for a moment, and just as Saga thought Altaïr was not going to answer her question, the hand picked up its movement again and his deep voice traveled down to her. "He is surveying the area and should be back soon. Now go back to sleep." But his words barely registered in Saga's mind as she slowly drifted back into a deep sleep.

Altaïr studied the sleeping girl in his arms, he could not comprehend why he felt a need to care for the girl or protect her but he did… He did not like that. Emotions were not something for an assassin such as himself and he knew they would only hinder him on his quest to regain his former status and respect.

But even as he thought that, he could not bring himself to remove the arm he had wrapped around her body or his hand he had buried in her soft hair.

Sighing, he looked up at the night sky. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something bad was going to happen to her soon, something very bad. And generally these feelings of his proved to be true. For her sake, he hoped such was not the case.

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**AN: So I'm finally back with a new chapter! It took me awhile and I'm sorry for that but things have been crazy right now.**

**A big thank you to my beta janit3443, who is just awesome! And I want to thank x-Roach-x who took the time to send me a PM asking if I was still writing. **

**Which if I have to be honest I not really doing anymore, I mean last chapter only got 3 reviews so I just made the assumption that my story was not that good to continue writing on… **

**But maybe it will get some more response this time, so please take the time do a review it means a lot to me.**

**/ kyskhet**


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